The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1887-07-23
For THE UNIvERsALIsT.
GRANDMOTHER'S PARTY.
By MRS. 8. e. BURTON.

The grandmother of the house had
nearly reached her ninetieth birthday
Her hair was as white as snow, and looked
very pretty in contrast with her eyes,
which were as bright and black as In her
youth. Her hearing was good but her
sight was very dim. She had been grow
ing gradually weaker for year, and had
kept her bed longer and longer each day,
till finally there was no hour in the twen-
ty-four which found her elsewhere than
lying on the white lace-trimmed pillows,
with sheets smelling Of last years rose
leaves. She was not ill and suffered no
pain, only an increasing languor made
her feel more comfortable in bed.
She loved to have the children come
and see her every day, although she could
not always remember their names and
sometimes thought they were the little
ones who, years and years ago, gathered
about her knee and filed her heart and
life to the very brim. But these children,
whether she saw them rs children of the
past or children of the present, were al
ways the dearest and most beautiful in
the world, and were welcomed to her bed
side with loving words and smiles. And
they grew accustomed to seeing grandma
always in bed in her ruffied cap with the
satin ribbons tied neatly under her chin.
They were planning a surprise party for
her birthday. The dolls were all having
new suits, the tin and wooden soldiers
were paraded every day in the nursery,
and the horses, carts and cabs were al
ready decorated with flags and streamers
for the quiet but grand procession
through grandmother's room. But they
instinctively hushed their merry voices
and romping footsteps whenever they en-
tered the chamber, for the noise and work
of the house and the noise and work Of
the great world left no echo there; it had
the peace and restfulness of long-con-
tinued Sabbath.
Grandmother's active mind was busy
with the past nearly all the time. The
years since she was young seemed to have
faded from her memory; she thought her.
self girl again and that the friends Of
her girlhood often came to visit her. She
told little anecdotes about them, laugh
ing merrily, and sung snatches of songs
in quivering voice that still had touch
of it's youthful sweetness.
One day it was noticed that grand
mother was much weaker than usual, her
voice was very ianguid and she did not
wish for food. But she had no pain, was
cheerful and smiled on the children when
they came to see her before going TO
their lessons. She talked very little, but
lay on her pillows, smiling, and looking
about the room with an air of interest.
Suddenly she said to her daughter, with
all the animation her feeble voice could
express:
Cornelia, am having partyP'
"Are you, mother, who is herep" her
daughter replied.
"Oh, everybody The room is full of
them" After a pause she again ex-
claimed:
"My grandma
Now this dear old grandmother had
once been little girl, and had grand
ma whom she dearly loved, and her
daughter, when she was little girl, had
often listened to beautiful stories about
her, and now, as che could see no one
herself, she said:
Mother, do you really see your grand
ma? Has she come to the party?"
son, yesl" whispered grandmother,
her dear old face shining with pleasure,
and then, after pause, in tone of ex-
treme surprise and Joy exclaimed:
"Fatherl and Walter, little WalterP
Walter was dear little brother of the
children's, who several years before had
gone to live with the angels, and it was
very pleasant to think that he had come
to grsndmOther's party, for she had been
very fond of him. Grandmother men,